


One Last Chance

by AquaticBookSphinx



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, F/M, Gen, Light Angst, Mystery, Original Character(s), Post-Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:13:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25195216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaticBookSphinx/pseuds/AquaticBookSphinx
Summary: With Horde Prime defeated and Etheria recovering, the Best Friends squad is trying to adjust. But Catra has a nagging feeling and decides to enlist the help of a few friends on one last mission before they leave for space to return magic to the universe. But will this mission affect other forces at work?
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra), Catra/Double Trouble (She-Ra), Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra/Scorpia (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 38
Collections: She_Ra





	1. Moonlight Shenanigans

Moonlight trickled through the windows high in the walls of the corridor of the Bright Moon Palace. It shone luminescent rays through the hallway within which soft specs of dust danced. Catra slinked in and out of the rays as she walked down the hallway, stopping momentarily to look at a mural. 

The only mural powerful enough to stop her in her tracks by grabbing her by the heart. She drew closer to it. Her mind reared back to the decision that led to such a catastrophe, such a loss. The moment she pulled the lever on Adora’s radiant sword, thrusting them into a different reality, resulting in an action never to be taken back. Resulting in the loss of Glimmer’s mom. 

It had only been a few months since Horde Prime’s defeat, but nothing haunted her more than Glimmer’s loss. A loss she felt responsible for. 

Catra watched as the light of the night cast an effervescent glow on Queen Angella’s likeness, adding a twinkle to the sparkles painted around her pale pink wings. She clenched her fists as a tear made its way down her cheek. 

She’d grown close to Glimmer. Far more than she intended to and now had a sweet spot for her sparkled companion. The amount of kindness she’d shown her, mixed in with the sheer will and determination that made up her personality had made them good friends. But it never failed to rack her with a guilt layered sadness that wove its way into her stomach at times, making her sick with an aching heart. She wiped her tear away with an aggressive brush of her hand and continued down the hall to Entrapta’s room. 

“Entrapta?” Catra knocked on the door, then leaned in close to listen after a moment of defined stillness. She went to knock again, when Entrapta threw open the large door with a hard tug of her purple hair. 

“Ah!” Catra jumped in surprise, her tail fraying from the excitement. 

“Oh did I scare you? I didn’t mean to scare you.” Entrapta greeted her with a bright smile as she pulled Catra in. 

“Oh!” Remembering something, Entrapta used her hair to grab an instrument from her work table. “I need to measure your waist! I had this idea for utility belts on our space suits. Do you like utility belts? I think we need utility belts. I already made one for Hordak and he loves it! Wrong Hordak keeps breaking his though.” 

With curious eyes, Entrapta measured Catra’s waist as the feline glanced around the room. Tables were pushed together to form a work bench and the bed huddled in a corner with blankets and pillows haphazardly tossed about the top. Tools of various kinds were strewn around her work station as papers and chunks of metal peppered her bedroom floor. 

“Actually, while I have you, I was also collecting blood from everyone!” Entrapta said as she grabbed a needle. 

“Entrapta!” Catra grimaced as she squirmed out of Entrapta’s grasp and closed the door. “Can we maybe not do that right now?” She swatted a hovering tendril of purple hair away, still holding the needle. 

“What are you working on in here anyway?” Catra continued to look around the room until her eyes came to rest on a massive monitor displayed in a glorious expanse above the work bench. Smaller monitors flickered below it, displaying different data. 

“Just getting ready for our journey in bringing magic back to the universe!” Entrapta said with glee as she squealed, darting to her computer to type away on the keyboard. 

Catra smoothed her tail and walked to stand next to Entrapta. “I actually came here tonight because I need your help with something. I couldn’t get it off my mind.” 

Entrapta paused for a moment and looked over to Catra, “Um. I can try to help. Is everything ok with you and Adora? I thought you might go to Glimmer or even Perfuma. Maybe even Netossa about, well, intimate topics but, I can try to help.” She reached out and put a nervous hand on Catra’s head, patting it softly. “There, there.” 

“What?” Catra shook her head and flicked Entrapta’s hand away. “No! Not that! It’s something else!” 

“Oh! Good. Ok.” Entrapta turned back to her keyboard, letting relieved fingers scurry across it. 

“Adora and I are actually really good.” She said, a small smile forming from sweet memories forged since they defeated Horde Prime. They’d fallen into a warm rhythm over the past few months. She let her mind wander to Adora. She was probably getting ready for bed, waiting for Catra to crawl in and tuck her head underneath her chin as she pulled her close, wrapping her tail around Adora’s leg until they would both drift off to sleep. Nightmares came and went. Nightmares of battles and brainwashing and bad decisions, but when either of them woke up from such terrors, the pain stung a little less. Because both of them were there, and there they would stay. 

Entrapta pulled her out of her daze with an uneasy voice. “Um. So you said you needed something? If it isn’t about Adora, then what is it about?” 

“Oh. Right.” Catra put her mind back on track. “Sorry about how late it is. The thing I need help with is technological. Not romantic.” 

“Oh!” Entrapta jumped as her eyes lit up with rabid scientific curiosity. “What is it? What project are we embarking on? And it’s not late. You’re actually early. The surprise doesn’t start for another hour. So we have plenty of time. Do you have plans drawn up for our project?” 

“Well it’s more of a mission that involves a lot of tech- wait.” Catra held up a finger as she ran her mind over Entrapta’s words. “What surprise? What am I early for?” 

“Ooh.” Entrapta backed away and put an inquisitive finger to her lips. “You know what. I don’t think I was supposed to tell you that.” 

“Oh Entrapta!” Glimmer sang as a brilliant burst of light exploded in the middle of the room. As it dissipated, Gimmer held out her arms with unbridled eagerness, a glittering smile plastered on her face. She opened her eyes only to find she was facing the door instead of her purple haired friend. “Whoops!” She said. “Wrong way.” 

She twirled around, arms still open wide. “Entrapta! We are good to go! The surprise is ready! Are you ready to go get Adora and Catr-“ She stopped as her eyes settled on Catra. “Oh. Um. Catra! It’s late. Shouldn’t you be in bed righ-“ 

“Save it Sparkles.” Catra said, her usual smug demeanor taking her over as she took a step forward. “What surprise are you and Entrapta talking about? Is Adora in on it?” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Glimmer said with a nervous laugh. “We’re just, you know, um surprising ourselves with. Um. Friendship?” She shrugged her shoulders and looked to Entrapta. 

“I’m gonna be sick. That’s the worst lie I’ve ever heard.” Catra said as she crossed her arms. “Entrapta already told me about the surprise. Now spill it Sparkles.” 

Entrapta cowered behind her, mouthing sorry to Glimmer. 

Glimmer blew out an annoyed puff of air and slumped as she crossed her arms in defeat. “Fine. Yes, Adora is in on it. It’s-it’s just a little party! Now that things have calmed down and everyone has settled in rebuilding after the battle with Horde Prime, we thought we should celebrate the victory! And you were a big party of that victory. So don’t worry, just come.” 

Catra settled a knowing gaze on her. “Glimmer?” 

“Ugh! Fine! We are also going to honor everyone. And-and you just need to come too. I’m queen and I say you’re going.“ 

She fought to get the real reason out. Knowing how Catra would react, but wanting so desperately for her to feel welcomed and accepted. She knew how much Adora worried about Catra, and her and Bow had been brainstorming for weeks about how to ease everyone into a new era of Etheria. All while making Catra feel like everyone truly appreciated her help. Reminding her that her past was just that. The past. 

She sighed as Catra crossed her arms in defiance. “We are going to honor you and everyone that helped with the fight against Horde Prime at a banquet we are having tonight.” Glimmer said with a hopeful smile. “Adora already has something picked out for you! And Entrapta was supposed to come by and say it was a small dinner.” She moved closer to Catra. “Please come?” 

“No. Way. I’m not going.” Catra didn’t want to be up and in front of anyone. She started for the door but before she could reach it, it swung wide, almost smacking her in the face. 

“Hey Entrapta? I can’t find Catra.” Adora said as she pushed open the door. 

“So what? Do you guys always just come in, unannounced into Entrapta’s room?” Catra glanced back at Entrapta, who just shrugged with a little nod. 

“Catra! There you are!” Adora ran up and pulled her into a hug, then stepped back. She cupped Catra’s face, grateful for every moment they were spending together. She blushed as she held Catra’s colorful eyes in her pale blue ones. A moment where locked eyes displayed loving hearts. A sweet smile reserved only for Adora spread across Catra’s face as she wrapped her arms around her waist, her tail curling around Adora’s right leg in humble affection. 

“Hey Adora.” Catra said, unable stop herself from flicking an eyebrow up as she caressed her girlfriend with her seductive tone. Adora blushed harder, cheeks flushed at the way Catra said her name. She stroked Catra’s cheek with her thumb, eliciting a gentle purr. 

“Hey Catra.” Her words were sweeter, delicate with a touch of a secretive intent of her own that played around in her eyes. It was enough to melt Catra’s heart. Catra leaned in, brushing her lips over Adora’s for a sweet second as she inhaled her scent. 

“This isn’t because I like you.” Catra winked as a sultry smile filled her face. Adora closed the gap, kissing Catra so deeply that the room fell away. 

“You’re literally dating.” Glimmer said, rolling her eyes. After noticing they did little to hear her, she cleared her throat in addition. “Ehrm!” 

They’d forgotten about Entrapta and Glimmer. 

Adora pulled away with a laugh as an embarrassed blush turned Catra’s cheeks bright red. 

Remembering the plan set in motion days ago, Adora held Catra’s hands in hers. “Hey! Um. So I have an outfit!” She looked away, trying to find the rest of her sentence. “And we are having a small dinner! Soo, let’s go!” She smiled and grabbed Catra’s hand to lead her out. 

“You’re a worse liar than Sparkles over there. She already told me everything.” 

“Aw man!” Adora drooped her shoulders. “So you’re not coming?” 

They’re looks combined were too much to bare. Her loving girlfriend saddened at a ruined surprise, and yet hope still swam about her face. Hope that Catra would come anyway and enjoy herself and support her. Any attempts to get her out of the palace to any of the other kingdoms had failed. Then there was Glimmer. A face pleading with a doting grin. A grin simply wanting to celebrate her friends. 

And Entrapta? Well Entrapta stood watching in awe, taking mental notes of what seemed to be an interesting social experiment. 

Catra threw her head back with a sigh, then looked at Adora, a smile creeping across her face. Adora smiled back, knowing what she was about to say. “Fine.” Catra said. “I’ll go. I’ll try.” 

“Yes!” Adora and Glimmer exclaimed at the same time. 

“Now, all that’s left is a clear battle strategy for this party.” Adora put an inquisitive finger to her mouth and thumb under her chin as she began to pace around the room.” Were there invitations sent out? You invited me verbally, Glimmer. What are the rules on that?” 

“Um. What?” Catra said. She watched Adora, finding her current state both endearing and dorky. She’d never seen her before a party before. 

“Ok then! We have to get ready!” Glimmer grabbed Adora before she could utter another word and teleported out of Entrapta’s room, leaving nothing but a descending shower of glitter. 

“Wait.” Entrapta said, noticing Catra was about to leave the room. “What was the tech thing?” 

“I’ll have to fill you in later. But it’s big. And it won’t be easy. And it’s….dangerous. But I have to do it. We are going to need some First One’s tech. I also need you to round up Scorpia and Double Trouble. Just meet me at the banquet. I hope that you all can help me. I need your help.” She looked back to the door, knowing Glimmer would be back, then turned to face Entrapta again. “And you can’t tell Glimmer. Got it?” 

Entrapta nodded, excited about a new venture, yet intrigued by the mystery surrounding it. 

“I’ll tell Adora. I’ll tell her when the time is right.” 

“When will the time be right?” Entrapta said. 

Just then Glimmer appeared back into the room and linked her arm in Catra’s. “Your turn!” she smiled and waved at Entrapta, “Be there in thirty minutes okay?” Then she vanished as soon as she had appeared, leaving Entrapta to wonder what it was that Catra needed her help with and why it involved First One’s tech. But first, she was going to observe another social experiment.


	2. A Plan to Save

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The banquet begins at the Bright Moon Palace and Catra asks for help from a few friends, revealing her plans. But something also lurks within Bright Moon.

A colorful array of lights cascaded down on the giant hall that was being used as the setting for the banquet. Guests and princesses alike from neighboring kingdoms milled about, enjoying the party. Trays of food passed by, carried by various waiters in fine clothing, some of them shouldering different exotic animals. And the floors glistened with a shining admiration of the festivities. 

One by one, the princesses arrived with their various dates. Adora took a battle action stance outside with the guards. She wanted to be sure that nothing bad happened during the celebration. Even with Horde Prime defeated, Adora couldn’t shake a sense of impending danger. The possibility of something, anything going wrong. The possibility that something could come for her friends. For Catra. 

She tried not to worry, but odd rumors had twisted their way into the Bright Moon Palace. Rumors of strange people in the nearby woods running around in black cloaks, leaving trails of bright blue slime. 

And she wasn’t about to leave something like that up to chance. She’d convinced Glimmer to let her patrol the party for a while until the ceremony began. She knew it meant that even for a short while, those worries wouldn’t plague her mind. 

But it also meant Catra couldn’t see her yet. She would have stayed with Adora outside, but everyone agreed that instead of guarding the palace, Catra would have organized a team to investigate the woods, or devised a strategy to handle rumors that weren’t even confirmed. Besides, Adora wanted her to enjoy her first party with the group. 

Catra stayed close to Glimmer as she and Bow greeted guests pouring in through the door. 

“So when does this thing start?” Catra asked, impatience crawling around in her voice. She still hadn’t seen Adora. 

“Relax, Catra!” Glimmer reassured her. 

Catra tugged at her suit. It was similar to the maroon one she’d worn to the Princess Prom. It wasn’t uncomfortable in the slightest and in fact made her feel safe. Adora had been the one to request another one be made since the last one was destroyed somewhere in their old home back in the Horde. It was nicer though, made of kinder fabric with a red shirt and golden tie, while the rest of her suit contrasted in a deep black, trimmed with gold. 

Adora had gone into such detail for her, all to make her feel comfortable. But fear still crept in. It crept in through the quieted voices of party guests as Catra saw a few people nearby whisper and point at her with concerned faces. 

“Everyone here probably hates me.” Catra scoured the room, remembering the last party she attended was Princess Prom. She crossed her arms and watched the happy faces mingle around the ornately decorated room. She didn’t want to be nervous, but with the Princess Prom she had a purpose. A plan, although a devious one, it was a plan nonetheless. One she knew she could carry out. She’d never attended a party for celebratory purposes and found herself wondering what exactly she was meant to do there. 

She looked around for Entrapta, hoping she would find her sooner rather than later. 

“No on here hates you, Catra.” Gllimmer said, watching as she coiled up with each passing second, letting her nervousness turn into anger and agitation. Glimmer nudged her a little with a smile. “You did a good thing, Horde Scum.” 

Catra released an anxious breath at the nickname. 

Bow jumped on the other side of Catra and chimed in. “You really did! And now you have friends and people who are thankful! And it’s okay if we all celebrate together!” He linked an arm on Catra’s left side as Glimmer hooked her on her right. 

Oh god, they’re going to do it again. Catra thought as Glimmer and Bow shined with wide smiles, and twirled her around while Bow screamed, “You’re officially a part of the Best Friends Squad!” 

“Where is Adora?” Catra screamed as they continued to spin her, but despite all of her refusal to participate, she couldn’t deny that a part of her enjoyed it a little. 

“Really? More dancing?” Mermista came in through the doors with Sea Hawk on her arm. 

“Oh my darling don’t you see? This is a colorful, princess, banquet ,party ADVENTURE!” Sea Hawk said as he found a random chair and stomped one leg on top of it. 

“Where the heck did he get that chair? There are no tables over here.” Catra said as Bow and Glimmer ran to greet them. 

Catra ran her eyes over the room, hoping to find Entrapta somewhere and discuss the one thing that kept running around in her head. She didn’t know if she needed to work to convince Entrapta of their next endeavor. Entrapta was already on board if it included science and ended with a newfound understanding of something previously unknown. 

Entrapta would most likely be in some sort of vantage point where she could capture the totality of the colorful social montage before her. Catra scanned the edges of the ballroom, as well as small precipices layered with beautiful flowers no doubt put there by Perfuma. 

But a far more fetching sight caught her gaze first. She hadn’t understood why Adora had picked the red and gold pairing on her suit like she had, but as she beheld her girlfriend across the room, Catra finally understood why. 

Across the room, Adora had finally finished her patrol and was ready to join her friends. Catra blushed as she took her in. She wore an enchanting red dress, hemmed and flaked with accents of reverent gold that were designed around her torso, flying down to the bottom of the dress which came to an end just above her feet adorned with elegant sandals. Her hair was pulled back with the familiar poof prominent at the top. And all was complete with a small cape that drooped in a v-shape down her partially exposed back. 

“Oo. Someone’s blushing!” Bow teased as he snapped Catra out of her daze. 

“Am not!” Catra retorted. “It’s just hot in here!” 

“Sure is!” Glimmer waived a dramatic hand, fanning herself. “Especially with Adora over there huh?” She said, giving Catra an elbow. 

“You guys are ridiculous.” Mermista said as she looked to find where Sea Hawk ran off to. Then she found him, match lit, with a sneaky grin. “Sea Hawk! No fire!” She said, running over to him. 

Catra adjusted her suit and watched with mesmerized eyes doused in adoration as Adora made her way over to her. 

“So cute! She’s staring!” Bow declared. Catra elbowed him as she smiled at Adora. 

“Wow.” She said as Adora approached her. “You look amazing.” Her tail twitched as images flashed through her mind of what would happen if it was just them in that room. 

“Are you blushing?” Adora teased, a goofy yet flirtatious smile making its way across her face. “Over me?” 

“Shut up! You’re such an idiot.” Catra said, throwing a weak punch at Adora which she immediately caught without apprehension. Adora held Catra with a delicate yet firm grasp by the wrist as she drew closer. Catra could feel her heart race as Adora stared into her eyes, the blonde’s heart matching the same fast-paced rhythm. Catra’s eyes never failed to tell Adora everything she was feeling, every love induced thought that swam in her heart. Every wave of heat that existed between her legs. Adora bit her lip, her chest nearly touching Catra’s, “I love you too.” 

Shocked but never too off-guard, Catra leaned forward for a quick, but meaningful kiss, then pulled away before Glimmer and Bow could tease her anymore. 

Adora let out a sweet chuckle as she looked down at Catra’s feet. “Shoes!” She gasped, “You wore the shoes I got you?” 

Catra rolled her eyes with a loving laugh, “Of course I wore them.” She took Adora’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

“Aww! You guys are so cute!” Bow squealed as he ran to hug them. 

“Ah! You’re squishing me.” Catra said as she squirmed, but with Adora pressed that tight against her, she couldn’t complain too much. 

“Guys!” Glimmer had teleported to the stage and was waving them over so the ceremony could begin. She wanted to present them all with their medals quickly and then let the party rage on, wanting to dance with Bow before the night was over. 

“Right.” Bow laughed as he tried to get back to business, “Catra, can you find Entrapta and Scorpia?” 

“No problem.” She said. Catra needed to find them anyway. 

“Adora, you think you can get Double Trouble?” Bow said, a brow raised. 

“I can try.” She shrugged. 

Catra turned to run off and find Entrapta, figuring she was huddled behind some solitary plant, taking notes on everyone. But she paused, still feeling the warmth of Adora’s hand in her own. She glanced down, letting every sense of touch register her girlfriend’s hand. 

She smiled. Adora is her girlfriend. 

“Catra?” Adora said, noticing her other worldly stare. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah. I just.” She bit back a smile and kissed Adora on the cheek, then ran to find Entrapta. Adora touched her cheek with a little laugh as she went to look for Double Trouble. She couldn’t get enough of her sweet moments with Catra. It wasn’t perfect, nothing ever is and the first month or so was trying at times as they learned to grow comfortable with sharing themselves with one another in a different way. But their sweet moments, their heavy breathed, passionate moments. Those were growing with each passing day. 

**** 

Catra was right. Entrapta was lingering behind a rather tall pink and blue plant with curious fruit near a wall to the side of the banquet. Perfuma had enhanced its growth for her, never feeling the need to ask why. It surrounded Entrapta, leaving a good sized circle In the middle of the plant for her to do a 360, not needing to leave her comfortable vegie companion. 

Catra could see a small tuft of purple hair peeking from below an odd fruit on the plant. She glanced around the room, then tugged on it lightly. “Entrapta? What are you doing in there?” 

Entrapta stuck her head out of the shrubbery. “I’m observing! This is so exciting! So much is happening! People are talking about those cloaked people trailing blue slime. Oh! And I saw two people run off to the bathroom. Do you know what a quickie is?” 

“I’m not doing this with you right now. Move over.” Catra said as she opened up a hole in the plant to step inside. She squeezed in next to Entrapta, realizing the space was more crowded than it seemed before. With a quick glance down, she understood why. 

A third pair of feet were next to hers and Entrapta’s. Catra looked up slowly into a cloned face she’d grown accustomed to. 

“Entrapta? Is that?” 

“Oh! Yeah. Wrong Hordak and I are observing from here and Hordak is on the balcony above the stage. Two different vantage points! I’m going to have so much data!” Entrapta said as she sent a message to Hordak. 

“Ok. You need to go for now.” Catra said, pushing Wrong Hordak out of their safe space of vegetation. “We have things to discuss.” 

“Anything for my esteemed brothers!” Wrong Hordak said as he let himself be pushed out. 

“Entrapta, did you find Scorpia?” Catra peeked through the plant to see if she could locate her. 

“I did even better! I had Wrong Hordak find her and slip a phone in her pocket that will lead her to us!” Entrapta pressed a button on her device, making her location glow on the device that Scorpia had. 

“Well how long will it take for her to find us?” 

“Hello!” Scorpia stuck her head through the plant, knocking a fruit loose and scaring Entrapta and Catra. 

“Shh! Get in here!” Catra said, yanking Scorpia inside. “This was meant to be more secretive. But. Thanks for coming.” 

“No problem! So what’s going on? Why are we hiding in Perfuma’s plant?” Scorpia picked up the fallen fruit and tried to place it back in the plant somewhere. 

“Catra needs our help.” Entrapta said. “But don’t we also need Double Trouble?” 

“Maybe I can tell them later.” Catra scratched her chin, unsure if she should still go through with what she was considering. Scorpia and Entrapta studied her face with expectant faces of their own. Although, Entrapta had a nagging feeling that she knew what Catra was about to propose. 

“I want to save Queen Angella.” Catra said. 

Without warning, Adora burst through the plant into their space. “You want to what?” She crossed her arms and looked to each of them. “Have you talked to Glimmer about this? Wait. How long have you been thinking about this?” 

“A-Adora. It’s been a while. I just- I couldn’t get it off my mind. I’ve been going through Hordak and Entrapta’s old data from when I launched us into that other reality.” She’d kept it from her, sneaking around at night, rushing off to the old Horde headquarters to collect forgotten equipment. She couldn’t sleep, couldn’t forgive herself until she’d done something to try and bring Angella back. She felt Glimmer deserved that much. She deserved for Catra to try. 

“You’ve been lying to me? And then you went off and got Entrapta’s help before even talking to me?” Adora’s eyes held a sense of betrayal that crushed Catra to see. Betrayal that gave way to anger. 

But there was something else. A mischievous twinkle in the midst that shocked Catra into realizing something. 

“Stop it.” Catra said, as she clenched her fists. 

Adora smiled, then began to change as her form morphed as she grew taller, revealing the true talent behind the façade. 

Double Trouble. 

“Oh dear. Please don’t be mad.” They leaned on Scorpia’s shoulder with a slick smile. “Now you what will happen with her when all this comes out. And you should probably practice that. I’m always here to help.” 

“I told you to stop doing that.” Catra steamed, pointing a finger at them. Double Trouble shrugged and put up their hands in resignation. 

“You want to save Queen Angella? Don’t we need more people?” Scorpia protested. “Shouldn’t we tell Glimmer?” 

“I don’t want to bring too many people. I don’t know what that reality or that space even looks like anymore. And Glimmer would try to come.” Catra could hear Glimmer through the microphone, announcing for them to come to the stage. She knew that she worked so hard to become the queen she was meant to be, to move past her mom’s death. She didn’t want to disappoint her if her mission turned up empty, and meaningless. 

And she didn’t want to get Adora involved until it was too late for her to stop her. Until she was on the other side of it. She couldn’t take back what she had put Adora through when she pulled the lever, sucking them into another reality. It still haunted Adora, being the last one to see Angella alive. To hear her dying wish to keep them all safe. 

“Look. You guys are my friends. And-“ Catra pulled herself together, knowing that she not only needed their skills, but their support. They knew her back in the Horde, knew the parts of her she would rather forget. But at the same time, they’d come a long way, just like she had. 

“You’re all good at what you do. Double Trouble’s performances at being a master of disguise, Entrapta and your amazing brain. And Scorpia. You went with me through the Crimson Waste. You’re capable of a lot. I can’t imagine not doing this without you.” Catra scratched the back of her head, a brush of embarrassment washed over her at her confession. 

“Aww!” Scorpia picked her up as her eyes glistened with appreciation of Catra’s words. “Thanks best friend!” 

“Alright! Put me down.” Catra squirmed. Although, she was touched that she got through. 

“I’m in.” Entrapta said. “Dimension jumping will be so exciting! And Glimmer will be happy to have her mom back.” 

“Well. I suppose I could take my performances to a different level. Who knows what we’ll find there.” Double Trouble lifted their arm to the sky. “A performer must always push the boundaries.” 

Catra let out a relived breath, “Well then,” she said, “first we need-“ 

But something cut her off. A high pitched scream that soared through the air form the middle of the ballroom. 

Catra, Entrapta, Double Trouble, and Scorpia leaped out of their hiding place inside the plant to see the room. 

It was in chaos. 

Guests were running around without direction or intention, crisscrossing each other and toppling other people and objects over. Plates, glass sculptures, and sprays of food crashed to the floor. And screams of the frightened and unprepared filled the party. The beauty of the affair was replaced by the repellent scent of fear and minds disturbed by untold horrors. 

Guards were attempting to get everyone out while Glimmer, Bow, and Adora gaped, from the stage, at the scene before them. There was no telling what it was. What they were. 

The figures moved quickly, jerking with fierce changes in direction. Each of them wearing a black cloak. Each of them trailing a sickening track of bright blue slime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! More to come


	3. Hidden Trails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora, Glimmer, Bow, and Catra follow a lead to see what creatures are terrorizing Birghtmoon. Adora gets suspicious of Catra, causing some friction that adds to Catra's worries in her plan to save Queen Angella.

“Don’t touch it!” Glimmer ran over and pulled Bow’s hand away from the line of blue slime that laid in front of the stage. 

It had been wonderful affair, but it was over. Ruined in the wake of cloaked figures that left behind an unsavory residue. They’d disappeared as quickly as they’d arrived, taking nothing, but frightening everyone. 

“I wasn’t going to.” Bow said, kneeling down to get a better look. He pulled out one of his arrows and used it to take a sample. 

“What is that stuff?” Adora crossed her arms and leaned over Bow to get a better look. The rumors she heard were turning out to be true. But she didn’t know where those creatures came from, or what they were. She was able to round up the guards and princesses to get everyone out of the palace. She didn’t have to worry about bringing out She-Ra to do it either. Whatever they were, they didn’t seem too focused on fighting, only on inciting panic and causing destruction. 

Melog ran to Catra’s side as she inspected the slime that Bow had collected as Catra entered the room. She’d just finished the complete shutdown of the castle, and although she had plans of her own, she knew she couldn’t go anywhere before the mess of these cloaked beings were solved. Entrapta, Double Trouble, and Scorpia trailed behind her, looking back and forth as they noticed a suspicious glance from Glimmer. 

“And where have you guys been all night?” Glimmer said, eyeing them as a group. “I was calling for you before those things showed up.” 

Melog rubbed against Adora’s leg as Catra and her entourage stopped at the foot of the stage. “We actually suspected something.” Catra lied. “We heard about something outside the palace and were investigating it when those things showed up.” She threw in a nonchalant shrug, hoping she could get away with it. But Adora never took her eyes off of her, and Catra could feel it. 

“Hey Entrapta?” Bow stood up and tossed her his arrow with the slime sample inside it. “Do you think you can help me analyze whatever slime they left behind? Maybe we can figure out what it is and take care of this.” 

“No problem!” Entrapta took it and bounded on her purple hair out of the room, rushing down the hall to her bedroom. 

Double Trouble leaned into Catra’s side, “And what about our other discussion?” They whispered. 

“Later.” Catra said through gritted teeth. 

Glimmer looked out on the room, now in ruins with traces of blue slime trailing up the walls and across the floor. She turned her face up in disgust, “Ugh. I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to worry about anything else happening in Etheria. Only simple things we could handle.” 

“Given how things have gone on Etheria so far? I highly doubt that.” Adora scratched Melog between the ears. 

“You never know.” Bow said, his eyes running over the destruction left behind. “Maybe it will be simple.” 

Adora leapt off the stage and jogged over to Catra. “Hey. So where were you? Really.” She looked her girlfriend in the eyes. 

“I-I told you.” Catra said. Usually she could throw out a lie with ease, but with Adora it was different. The closer they became, the harder it was for her to keep things from her. Adora held her eyes in a way that invoked truth with a delicate touch. But Adora also held a fire in her eyes. She hated being lied to. 

“So you really heard something and didn’t bother to grab me?” She crossed her arms as Melog hid behind Catra. 

Catra could feel the weight of her guilt crushing her. Every feeling she’d hidden and feared constantly thrown back in her face as she laid her eyes on the countless monuments and memorials to her. Glimmer’s mom. Queen Angella. Another painting graced the wall behind the stage. Staring at her as Adora questioned her. Melog moved to wrap itself around Adora. Catra had never wanted to tell her something so bad in her life, but the words stopped in her throat. They burned in her eyes and churned in her stomach, struggling to leave because she didn’t want to get her involved. 

“Adora, I-“ 

“Guys look at this!” Bow yelled from across the room. He’d somehow made it to the opposite wall as the rest of them had been conversing. Glimmer was there in an instant, ready to see what it was that he found. 

“We should go check that out.” Catra said running off to meet Bow. 

“Catra!” Adora clenched her fists as she watched Catra’s tail flick back and forth as she ran. She turned to Scorpia and Double Trouble. 

“You know, it sounds like he needs everyone.” Scorpia touched her pincers together in nervous twitches and ran after Catra. 

Double Trouble put a hand on Adora’s shoulder. “Want me to pretend to be you again so you can run off and punch something?” 

“What? No!” Adora shrugged their hand off. 

Double Trouble threw up their hands in defense, “Okay. Okay.” Then they ran off to meet the others. 

“Wait.” Adora paused, processing Double Trouble’s words. “What do you mean again?” 

Glimmer, Catra, Double Trouble, and Scorpia crowded around Bow as his wheels turned in detective mode. 

“The trails of blue slime all start here.” Bow said, tracing it to a broken window. Catra glanced back to see Adora investigating the rest of the room with Melog, hoping she hadn’t worried her too much. 

“That’s not possible.” Glimmer said, “I saw it. There were dozens of those things.” 

“There’s only one trail leading out of the room and from the looks of it, this is how it entered. All of the other trails branch off from this one.” Bow took out another arrow and used a small rectangle on the tip to take pictures. “I’ll send these to Entrapta.” 

“How?” Catra threw a confused look his way. 

Bow’s face lit up. “Well actually, Entrapta and I have been working on some cool tech. She’s got a pretty nice set up here.” 

“You have way too much free time now.” Catra said, shaking her head. 

“We might not have as much anymore.” Glimmer eyed the broken window, blue slime dripping off of broken glass. 

“There’s two trails!” Adora yelled from across the room. Everyone ran over to see what she’d discovered. Glimmer got there first, more interested in teleporting than actually running. 

“Look.” Adora opened the main door, “It leads out into the hallway.” She looked back at Glimmer. “Into the castle.” 

***** 

Glimmer followed close behind Bow as he held up an arrow with a magnifying glass on the end, both following the strange trail of slime out of the large party room and into the hallway. 

“So, we’re just going to follow the blue slime to some unknown place? Is that it?” Catra said, jogging behind them. She’d sent Double Trouble and Scorpia to help Entrapta, not that she needed it. But Catra was always planning ahead, always thinking about the next step so she wouldn’t be caught in the headlights of an uncertain world. She’d told them to keep preparing for their mission. If anything, she could always suggest the group split up and come back having saved Angella, surprising everyone. Or she could fail, and only her former Horde friends would know. 

“Whatever those things were, they must’ve been using the chaos in the party as a distraction. They must’ve been after something here in the castle.” Adora said. 

“Bow?” Entrapta’s static drenched voice shot through a tablet attached to Bow’s hip. 

He took it out for everyone to see. “Hey Entrapta!” Bow said, “Did you find anything?” 

“I actually did! The slime isn’t from here. It’s from another dimension. It’s some kind of bodily residue left behind.” 

“Like blood?” Bow said, furrowing his brows. 

“Exactly!” Entrapta confirmed. “I think it’s dying as long as it’s here, but the residue indicates that it is something similar to our world.” 

“Something magical you mean?” Glimmer peeked over Bow’s shoulder. 

“Perhaps.”Entrapta put a hand to her chin. “Whatever it is, it’s powerful. It does seem like it was one, and it duplicated into several. Probably a diversion of some sort so it could go somewhere else. There was only so much I could get from this sample. We’ll need to see what the creature is for more information. Oh if you could get a picture that would be great!” She paused to look off screen. “Wrong Hordak! No! That’s the wrong tool! You’ll hurt yourself.” She turned back to look at Bow. “If you run into this thing again, see if you can get a still image of it. Okay?” 

“Got it.” Bow turned off the screen and continued down the hallway. 

Catra crossed her arms and followed suit, knowing that with this new mystery, Entrapta wasn’t able to make too many preparations for their other journey. She had to at least try and save Queen Angella, but it seemed to her that the minute she made the decision, was the minute everything and anything popped up to hinder her from accomplishing that very task. 

They past mural after mural as they followed what seemed to be the never ending trail of slime that snaked through countless hallways. Catra avoided as many murals of Queen Angella as she could, but she couldn’t help but to slow down at one that displayed the Queen and her husband, Micah, who was busy elsewhere on Etheria, helping people rebuild. She knew Glimmer was happy to have her father back, especially after having to fight him when he’d been chipped by Horde Prime. But that mural. It projected a completeness that she knew they were both lacking. 

She’d almost stopped completely, and was jolted back to the task at hand when Adora hit her with an aggressive bump to her shoulder when she passed by. Catra rushed to catch up with her. 

“Um. Ow?” She said, walking beside Adora. 

“What?” Adora kept her eyes on the slime. 

“You just hit me back there. What’s up with you?” Catra reached for her hand, but Adora snatched it away. 

“What’s wrong with me?” She stopped, letting Glimmer and Bow continue down the hallway. “You’re lying to me about something. I know you are. You can’t just keep hiding things, Catra. We’re supposed to be honest with each other. That’s how relationships work.” 

“Oh, so you’re just going to hit me to teach me a lesson? Is that it?” Catra shoved her a little, something remnant of her playfulness, but in her heart, it was too difficult to tell Adora how guilty she felt and how much it affected her every day. 

“Don’t push me!” Adora said, pushing her back, “And stop lying to me! I know you’re hiding something.” 

“You’re picking a fight.” Catra said as she began to walk away, turning her back on Adora. “Maybe you need to talk about something, but I’m not hiding anything!” She felt a lump form in her throat at every word. 

Adora ran up behind her and grabbed her shoulders, then slammed her against the wall, holding her by the wrists. “Stop it!” She moved so her face was inches from Catra’s. “Please Catra.” She said it quieter this time. “Stop it. You’re the one trying to pick a fight and I don’t know why. Just talk to me.” 

Catra stared into her girlfriend’s eyes with heavy breaths, unable to speak, too tired to move out of Adora’s firm grip. She fought the urge to put her head into Adora’s shoulder like she has so many times before in their moments in bed before they fall away into sleep. Instead she held Adora’s gaze and willed away her tears as she shook her head. 

“I know.” Adora said. 

A sudden panic flooded into Catra’s mind, fearing she knew about her plans, but Adora kept talking. 

“I know you’ve been having trouble sleeping. I know you leave the room at night.” Catra’s eyes grew wide. She didn’t want anyone knowing why she often left her room at night, or where she went when she did. 

“I know something is going on.” Adora continued. “You think I haven’t noticed, but I have. And then that crap you tried to pull back there with Scorpa, Entrapta, and Double Trouble?” She let go of Catra and backed away. “If something is going on with you and you’re not ready to say anything, that’s ok. Just stop lying to me.” Adora turned and started walking away, rubbing her arm as a few tears made their way down her cheeks. 

Catra could do nothing but let the back of her head hit the wall with soft resignation. She watched Adora walk away, knowing that the more she held in, the more she distanced herself from the person she loved the most. 

Adora caught up with Bow and Glimmer before Catra did. Glimmer caught a glimpse of her face and slipped her arm in Adora’s. 

“Are you ok?” Glimmer’s concerned eyes searched Adora’s forlorn face. Catra showed up on the other side of Bow, just visible in the corner of Adora’s eye. Adora let her eyes fall to the trail of blue slime and shook her head. 

“Not right now.” She said. Glimmer looked past her and shot a glance at Catra, who just looked to the floor as they walked. 

“Guys. I think this thing was after more than we thought.” Bow stopped cold at a door that led outside. The trail they had been following led down a stone walkway, the blue slime shimmering under the careful moonlight as it trailed all the way to the Moonstone. The shining beacon of power for Brightmoon that lends its force to Glimmer. It floated with furious light against the dark night sky, now littered with stars that had become all too new in their view since Glimmer brought them back to the rest of the galaxy not long ago. 

But patience was a virtue that Glimmer didn’t care to possess as her eyes held the brightest reminder of her mother. She hugged everyone together and squeezed her eyes shut. Pure light coursed through the group as a rush of adrenaline poured through every vein, all energy radiating from Glimmer. Then, through a burst of light and flurry of sparkles, they were at the Moonstone, overlooking the palace, the forest, and all of Brightmoon. 

“Sparkles!” Catra grunted as she doubled over, only to have Adora reach out with an instinctive arm to steady her. “I told you not to do that without warning.” She closed her eyes for a moment, reaching up to hold her head. 

She stood up and looked to Adora. “Thanks.” She said with a weak smile. 

Adora jerked her hands away from Catra’s shoulders and crossed her arms. “Whatever.” 

Catra sighed and watched as Glimmer began to inspect their surroundings. 

“Sorry about that guys! I just wanted to get here quickly.” Glimmer ran her eyes along the golden arches that housed the runestone. But she stopped, noticing slimy blue handprints on the large stone itself. “Guys look.” She pointed to the prints. 

“What was it trying to do?” Adora said. 

“It shouldn’t be able to do anything.” Bow inspected the stone and took a picture to send to Entrapta. “Glimmer is the only one who can commune with the stone.” 

But amidst their wondering and well placed confusion, a shadow lingered with malicious intent. It floated just outside the golden pedestal that they all stood in. Slinking around the glow from the stone so as not to get caught. But in the corner of her eye, Catra caught the movement. A sudden but fleeting flick of a demented shadow that seemed to whisper to her. Awful, callous whispers whose words were unclear, but whose feelings were well formed. 

“Guys.” She clutched Adora’s arm, “There’s something here.” 

With darkened whispers loud enough for the rest of them to hear, the figure came into the light, resting just beside the Moonstone. Each of them heard something different as their vision blurred, unable to make out the figure completely. 

Bow heard the whispers of his fathers, angry at his choices. Adora heard the cries of Etheria, people in pain, children in need. Catra could hear Adora, back in the Horde. That single moment when she asked her not to pull the sword and plunge them into a different reality. Glimmer heard the faintest laugh, hollow and terrifying, yet somehow familiar. 

The whispers rose, a crescendo of unknown destination, drowning out any rational thought of fleeing or fighting or freeing the weapon that is She-Ra. 

Then, it just stopped. The figure before them became fully illuminated, revealing a small form in a dark cloak, trailing blue slime. This cloaked being from another dimension, able to replicate itself and strike fear now stood in the staggering light of the Moonstone. But its face remained shrouded by the hood of its cloak, nothing but an oval darkness where its face should be. Suddenly, it let out a horrid screech that made everyone fall to their knees, clutching their ears. 

Bow tried to fight against the pain of the sound that felt like it was splitting his ears open. With a shaking hand, he grabbed a bow from his quiver. He knew he was too disoriented to get a good shot in, but maybe he could get that picture for Entrapta. He held up the arrow and clicked a button on the shaft, snapping a quick photo of the cloaked figure. It squealed again, then disappeared over the edge of the pedestal, running off to the forest where its secrets awaited. 

“What was that? Glimmer said as she rose and shook her head. The rest of the group was still recovering, but all of them could hardly hear. The words Glimmer said were nothing but warbled sounds of unknown meaning that the other squinted at. Then Glimmer started panicking, running her hands through her hair as she shook Bow’s arm. 

“What are you saying?” Adora said, looking at her Glimmer as if that would help her ears. Slowly sound came back and she could hear what Glimmer was shouting about. They all could. Whatever that thing was, it had ripped a piece of the Moonstone off, leaving a jagged hole in Brightmoon’s beloved beacon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
